Fuentes Time

Christmas is coming really soon. It'll be the first Christmas that I have spent here in San Diego. Even more importantly it's the first Christmas that I will spent here with my dad. Everything with him feels right though. I wouldn't want to be with my mom for Christmas. I don't think I could bare it.
On Christmas Day the plan is to spend the morning at home with Dad opening presents. Then we'll pick up Mike and go to my grandparents house for Christmas dinner. I'm not sure what to expect really. But there are a few weeks yet until Christmas.
I was in the studio writing when the door opened. I looked up and saw Dad. He smiled lightly at me and came inside. He sat down next to me and I leant against him.
"I thought you'd be in here." he said.
"I'm in here more than you." I teased.
"That's true." he reasoned. "I have some good news for you."
"What is it?" I asked.
"I spoke to Fearless. They want to meet you in person."
"What?!" I exclaimed. "Seriously?"
"Seriously." he nodded. "After Christmas."
"This is huge." I grinned. "Thanks."
"No problem." he smiled. "Now, do you think you can pull yourself away for a few hours."
"Why?" I asked. "I'm working on this song and I really want to finish it today."
"I was going to go and pick a tree. We could bring it home and decorate the house. I normally don't make it such a big deal, but I thought it's your first year here."
"Okay." I nodded. "I've never had a real tree before." I said. I put my things away and stood up. Dad held open the door for me and I walked out.
"You never had a tree with Katie?" he asked.
"We had one. It was just fake. Real trees always annoyed Mom because of all the needles falling off."
"Oh." he frowned. "Well, we'll have to pick a nice, real one." he smiled.
Dad picked up his car keys and we went outside. I went to the passenger side of Dad's car and got inside. He started driving and I sat back.
"I've been thinking." Dad suddenly said.
"About what?" I asked anxiously.
"You."
"Yeah, and?" I urged.
"You graduate in around five months. I know you want the band to work, but what will you actually do when you've graduated?" he asked.
"Um . . . well we have that meeting with Fearless after Christmas. If that doesn't go well I'll send the demo out to other labels. I guess we'll just do our album and then start touring. Just like supporting. Then there's stuff like Warped tour we could try and push ourselves onto." I explained.
"I think that's good. Just don't get labeled as a Warped tour band." Dad replied. "I just want to make sure that this is what you want. That you have no doubts."
"I don't." I said quickly. "I would do literally anything for my band."
"Some people will try to test that." he sighed. "Effy, I'm not trying to put you off your dream. I know what it's like to want this like you do. I know how much hard work and effort it takes. What I do I some of the best jobs in the world. I wouldn't change a thing and I wouldn't change how I got to where I am now. But you need to understand just how horrible it can be. It can suck."
"I know." I muttered. "Life sucks. That's obvious to me. I'll be prepared."
"Sometimes it takes some really difficult, horrible choices to make it."
"Like what?" I questioned.
"I don't know..." he trailed away. "Like working with bands that usually wouldn't even give you the time in the street. And watching the head of your record label cheat on one of your friends and not being able to tell her because if you do you won't get offered a contract next year."
"That really happened?" I asked.
"Yeah." he nodded. "That's what I mean, it's tough." he shrugged.
Dad parked up in a car park. We got out and Dad led me through a gate and to a huge space. It was completely filled with Christmas trees. I looked up at Dad and he smiled. "What do we do now?" I asked.
"We pick one." he laughed. I looked around and wrinkled my nose. I don't know what I'm looking for. I nodded at a few of them. Dad went over to a big tree and tugged at the branches. "What do you think?" he asked.
"How is that going to fit through our door?" I mocked.
"It's not that big." he rolled his eyes.
"This one." I suddenly said. I pointed to the one next to it. It was a little smaller and the green of it seemed to be brighter. "I want this one." I told him.
"Excuse me?" Dad asked one of the men. Dad went off to buy the tree and I looked around. All of this seemed so weird to me. This is what Christmas should be like. With Mom it was so different. Dad came back with the man and he started carrying the tree out to the car. I watched as they secured it and went to sit inside the car.
"Ready?" I asked Dad when he joined me.
"Yeah." he nodded. "Are you okay, Effy?" Dad asked carefully.
"I'm fine." I shrugged.
"Are you sure?" he asked again.
"It's just different..." I trailed away.
"What's different?"
"Being with you here."
"Don't you want to?" he asked sounding disappointed. "If you want to spend Christmas with Katie it's okay. I can buy you a flight."
"No." I shook my head. "I love it here. I'd pick being with you over Mom any day. Christmas is just different with you."
"How so?" he asked and he sounded relived.
"You're trying to make it nice for me. Like you're bothered what I think." I explained slowly.
"Of course I am." he sighed. I reached over to hug Dad. He wrapped his arms around me and kissed the top of my head. I kissed him cheek and hugged him tighter.
"I love you." I told him. "Thanks."
"I love you too." he replied easily. I pulled away and looked down at my lap. "Now let's get the tree home." he said and reversed out.

Notes

Hey! What did you think? Effy's feeling a little weird. I felt like she needed some quality time with Vic. What will happen at Christmas? What about the meeting after Christmas? I also have a new story up. It's a Of Mice & Men story but in the later chapters Tony becomes *cough* involved with the main character! Check it out and all my others too. Too Soon. :)